Don't take concerns of voters register credibility lightly - Peace Council cautions EC

The National Peace Council is asking the Electoral Commission to take concerns over the credibility of the voters register seriously warning of its potential to trigger violence ahead of next year’s general elections.

The Council is scheduled to meet later today to discuss its position on the matter.

The Opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has served notice it will not allow another general election using the existing voters register.

It claims to have found more than 76,000 people with same names and pictures on both the Ghana and Togolese registers.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected demands for the register to be replaced.

But speaking to Joy News, Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante said it will be a mistake to take the concerns lightly.

“The fact that we are talking about this means that there is the need for the Electoral Commission to really take that seriously but they should not just limit it to the political parties because stakeholders are more than just people who are actively involved in partisan politics, civil society also comes in."

He however says he is confident that the EC is ready to engage stakeholders because “it is important that we sit and discuss it, look at the pros can cons of the arguments that are being presented from different quarters and find a common platform and reach a consensus before we go to the polls.”

This in his view will prevent people from rejecting the credibility if the vote which might lead to conflict and degenerate into violence.

Rev. Prof Asante said the Peace Council is ready to engage and deliberate with the EC on this issue.